Darien's Choice
by Marie J.W
Summary: Sailor Moon dies in battle. Darien is devestated and locks himself in his apartment. A mystical women appears and offers Darien the choice of rearing a baby Serena as his niece or letting things be...


Web Address: http://www.homestead.com/mariejwfanfics/  
  
Title: Darien's Choice  
Author: Marie J.W. (Email: angellady41@hotmail.com)  
Chapter: One Parter, Rated: PG  
  
Okay, this is one of those really weird ones where Serena and Darien   
get separated. Yeah, I know you don't really like those but I 'dare' you   
to read this one! It's my first time at writing something like this! I've   
always had this... wanting (or whatever you call it!) to write a drama/  
tragedy, so you'll probably see more short stories like this. I don't   
think I'm brave enough to write a tragic novel yet but we'll see. But   
of course, this does have a good ending! You can NEVER write a story   
where Serena and Darien don't end up together in the end, it's really   
mean to do that with any love story. I mean, look at "Somewhere in Time",   
you just can't go wrong as long as they get together in the end!  
All right, that's it!   
Read on...that's 'if' your taking my dare!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
With a setting sun, a shimmering lake, and a silent breeze everything   
seemed wonderful, peaceful and perfect to the young couple holding each   
while looking out onto the lake.   
Their problems were gone and it was just and the lake and each other.   
The young blonde looked up at the tall man holding her, "Do you think   
this will ever change, Darien?"  
Darien leaned his forehead against hers, "What will ever change."  
"Us...being together."  
"Never, Serena, not in a million years." He kissed her lightly on the   
nose.   
Serena giggled then turned serious again, "But what if something happens   
to one of us?"  
Darien didn't like the way she was talking, "Nothing will happen."  
"But what if something did? What if it were me? Would you go on without   
me? Would you remember me? Or would you go on with your life and find   
someone else? I wouldn't blame you if you did."  
"That's 'never' going to happen, Serena!" Darien added a little more bite   
then he intended but it couldn't be helped. The idea of her leaving   
was unbearable!  
"Promise me, if I leave that you won't forget me, Darien." Serena laid her   
head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.   
Darien sighed and stroked her hair away from her face, "I promise,   
Serena. You'll always be in my heart no matter where you go."  
Serena looked up smiling, her eyes shown with pure love and affection,   
"I promise too! And you'll always be in 'my' heart!"   
"I love you, Meatball head!" Darien leaned down and kissed her softly   
on the lips.   
"I love you more!" Serena sighed after the kiss.  
  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
The Next Morning -   
Tuxedo Mask held a lifeless Sailor Moon in his arms. Sailor Moon bruised   
and battered from the fight just minutes before. The rest of her scouts,   
Sailor Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus stood around with tears coursing   
down they're cheeks. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a   
yellowish glow on the five scouts and the masked man.   
"Serena, you can't leave me!" Tuxedo Mask sobbed into her hair, "Not   
now, please not now! I can't live without you! Please come back...come   
back...!" he kissed her forehead and her hair but Sailor Moon remained   
still.   
"She's gone...Darien..." Mercury barely chocked out before more fresh   
tears spilled out, "She's so gone..."   
Jupiter offered her should for Mercury to cry on.   
"What are we going to do?" Venus asked around the lump in her throat,   
her forehead at a big bump on it.   
Tuxedo Mask had become deathly quiet until he answered Venus's question,   
"I'll take care of her."  
The scouts gave each other silent looks before agreeing.  
  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
The Funeral came and went and so did Serena's friends and   
family.   
Darien locked himself in his room and refused to come out. Even   
Andrew's persistent phone calls and visits couldn't bring him out   
of his depression. He had thought of suicide but he knew that wasn't   
the answer. He had to deal with this but he didn't know how.  
Finely one morning after Darien had cried himself to sleep on his   
living room floor he woke up to the sound of a baby crying.   
He felt awful as he sat up, curious as to where that noise could be   
coming from. He looked past his couch and gasped! A beautiful Woman   
in a white gown held a little baby wrapped in a white blanket.  
"Who...who are you...?" Darien's eyes were impossibly wide.   
The Woman smiled, "My name is Timesake and I'm here to give you a   
gift."  
"A gift..." Darien laughed sarcastically as he stood, "That's just   
what I need and I'll be all better won't I?"  
Timesake shook her head in sympathy, "I'm sorry about your loss...I   
know how you feel."  
"No...you...don't!" Darien growled, "No one knows."  
Timesake frowned, "I didn't come here to argue, I came here to give   
you a choice."  
Darien lifted an eyebrow, "What 'choice'?"  
"I can give Serena another chance at life." Timesake smiled sadly,   
"Or she can live on in your memory."  
Darien looked at her confused, "What do you mean?"  
"Do you love her enough to let her live again?" she countered.  
"What's the price?"  
"Your love. Here, behold Serena." Timesake held the baby up higher for   
Darien to see the baby's face. Darien dropped his knees.   
"She's yours if you will take care of her as your niece, if not she   
will go back to where she came."   
Darien couldn't believe this was happening to him. The choice was his?   
"Isn't there someone else?"  
"You, you have to choose, Darien Chiba."  
Darien already knew he couldn't give up Serena's chance at life. She had   
so much to live for, so much to accomplish! He couldn't pass that by.   
"She lives..."  
Timesake smiled and came closer to Darien, "Then here's your niece...  
treat her well." She placed Serena in his arms then disappeared.   
Darien looked down at the angel in his arms and his heart ached. This   
wasn't 'his' Serena, the one that loved him like no other, the one that   
cared for him so deeply she would die for him, no this Serena was his   
niece and she would grow up thinking and knowing him that way.   
Oh, how his heart ached...!  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
Five Years Later -  
  
Darien picked up the toys littering the floor, "Rena, I thought we talked   
about picking up your toys!"   
Rena didn't reply.  
Darien sighed. It had been five years since the day he first got her. He   
moved away the next day, leaving the scouts as well as his best friend   
behind.   
"Rena, get in here and pick these up, please!" Darien had changed Serena's   
name to Rena. He hated calling her by his loves name, it hurt too   
much!  
"But I'm busy!" Rena finely called back.  
"You better get in here 'now' if you want to visit Katie this afternoon!"   
Katie was a girl Darien met at the University. They quickly became   
friends; helping each other with school. Darien and Rena meet Katie   
every Wednesday at the park so Darien could study and so Rena could   
play outside.  
Rena ran into the living room and started picking up her toys. Her   
short blonde pigtails bopped up and down before she resorted to crawling   
on the floor as she picked up her stuffed animals.   
Darien smiled. She looks so much like... He shook his head. He wasn't   
going to think about her, not now.   
  
An hour later Darien and Rena ended up at the park. Katie, with a   
thick backpack over her shoulder, waved to him.   
Rena ran up to her, "Katie!"   
Darien strode up to the two, "How's it been going?"  
Katie, a sweet girl with pretty brown hair, smiled tiredly, "Terrible!   
I went to work yesterday to get fired, isn't that great?"  
"Can we go play on the swings?" Rena tugged on the end of Katie's light   
blue shirt.  
Katie looked at Darien asking if it was all right.  
Darien nodded.  
"Sure kiddo!"   
  
"So how come I see you alone so much at school?" Katie asked as they   
watched Rena play in the sand box.  
"You see me? It's such a big University that I'm lucky if I see   
you."  
Katie smiled, "It's not as big as you think. Hey, do you want to...  
you know, hang out?"  
Darien's throat tightened, "I can't."  
"Oh...well, I was just wondering."   
Uncomfortable silence fell over them.   
"We have to go." Darien stood up, "Thanks for coming. I think Rena really   
likes to get out of the apartment."  
Katie nodded.  
Darien cleared his throat and turned, "Rena, we're leaving!"  
  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
Another Seven Years Later:  
  
"Uncle Dar, I can't find my shoe!" Rena walked into the kitchen with   
only one shoe on, "I put it in my closet but it's not there!"  
Darien flipped the pancakes, "Did you look under your bed?"  
"I told you I put it in my closet!" Rena stomped out of the kitchen,   
"Mrs. Karin is going to call you if I'm late again!"  
Darien sighed. Everything was his fault.   
After breakfast and after the shoe was found Darien drove Rena to school,   
"Did you get your test finished last night?"  
"Yes..." Rena drowned off as she looked out the window, finding him   
quite annoying.  
Darien looked up into the review mirror and sighed, he sure didn't look   
as young as he used too. He was starting to get wrinkles, at thirty, under   
his eyes and he didn't like it one bit. Thank goodness, he wasn't loosing   
his hair!  
  
  
That night Darien lay in bed tired and exhausted from the day. He had a   
ton of business meetings, dinner to cook and on top of that he had to talk   
to Rena's teachers again. Rena had gotten in a fight. What was he going to   
do with her?   
Darien couldn't help but think that 'his' Serena had never gotten into a   
fight in school before, as far as he knew anyway. That was Lita's,   
Serena's friend, category.   
What was he doing wrong?  
Darien sighed, sat up and turned on the lamp beside his bed. He pulled   
open the drawer to the bed-stand and took out a picture of Serena and   
himself. He remembered Timesake telling him to burn 'all' the pictures   
of Serena but Darien couldn't bring himself to burn this one. This was   
the first picture they took together, the one that convinced him that   
he finely 'did' have a family, someone who would love him.   
Tears weld up in his eyes as he remembered the wonderful times   
they had together and how she loved him so much! Oh, how he missed   
her!   
A cry came from the other room, startling him.   
Darien quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and got out of bed. Once   
in Rena's room Darien could see her slashing around, crying out   
incoherent words in her sleep. She was having a nightmare.   
Darien grabbed her arms, "Rena, Rena, it's a dream! Wake up!"  
Rena opened her eyes and looked around disoriented before finely   
looking up at Darien. She closed her eyes and quickly wrapped her   
arms around his waist, "It was so real! It was so...so real!" she   
cried into his t-shirt.  
Darien bit his lip as tears started to trail down his face.   
"It's all right..." he whispered into her hair, "I'm right here."  
  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
Sixteen Years from the beginning -  
  
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear, Rena!   
Happy Birthday to yooouuu!" Darien, Katie and a big group of fifteen,   
sixteen and seventeen years olds sang and screamed.  
Rena turned red at all the attention she was getting.  
"Come on, Rena, blow out your candles!" Katie smiled with her camera held   
in front of her eye, "Hurry up!"  
Rena looked down at the sixteen flaming candles on her cake and leaned   
down, quickly blowing them all out!   
Everyone cheered.   
"Happy Sixteenth Birthday, Rena!" a girl with red hair hugged her   
friend.  
The lights turned back on causing some of the kids to groan in   
disappointment.   
Rena cut the cake and began to serve her guests.   
Darien watched from a distance, she was so beautiful. Like an angel.   
Her hair was just as long as Serena's used to be, she looked just like   
her. An angel.  
Darien quickly swallowed and left the party to sulk in his room.   
  
Later that night Rena poked her head into Darien's room, "Thanks for   
letting them come, Uncle Dar. I know they were...kind of loud." She   
wrinkled her nose.   
"You were fine. Ready for bed?"  
Rena sighed, "Far from it! Katie made everyone leave fifteen minutes   
ago but I'll clean up the mess in the morning."  
Darien nodded, "Don't stay up too late."  
"Uncle Dar, can I ask you a question?"   
"Sure."  
Rena stepped into his room, "How come you didn't stay. I mean, I know   
that you don't like big parties and stuff...but it was..." she looked   
down and started to play with a loose string on the end of her shirt,   
"...my sixteenth birthday."  
Darien felt horrible, he never even thought that leaving would hurt   
her.   
"I'm sorry, Rena, I didn't know you wanted me to stay." Darien sighed,   
"Are you too old to give me a hug?"  
Rena smiled and quickly stepped up to him and gave him a big hug, "I'm   
so lucky to have a Uncle like you!" She pulled away and headed back to   
the door.  
"Rena."  
She turned around, "Yep?"  
Darien swallowed, "I'm lucky to have you too."  
A big smiled appeared and she nodded before leaving the room.  
  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
Four Years from Sixteenth Birthday -  
  
Twenty years seemed like forever to Darien. He was nearing his forties   
and that didn't make him much happier. Rena left for collage at   
nineteen, leaving Darien home, by himself. The first few weeks after   
Rena went to collage drove him crazy. He had too much time on his hands   
and too much time to think about the past.   
So finely, he fixed that little problem. He took on all the problems he   
could get his hands on at work and condemned him self to the library, he   
read everything to anything. He couldn't let himself think about   
himself. Everything was too personal, too emotional.  
But one day that changed...  
Katie stopped by his office one evening. She knew he would be working   
still so she brought a couple sandwiches.   
"Knock, knock..." Katie smiled and she swung the door open.  
Darien looked up and smiled wearily, "Katie, I'm a little busy."  
"Yeah, I know. You're always busy!" she dropped the sack of sandwiches   
on his desk and took off her coat, "You have to get out more, Darien."  
Darien shook his head and went back to his work.  
Katie frowned, "What's wrong?"  
"You know I'm working." Darien replied.  
"No, I mean, what 'is' wrong? Why do you do this to yourself? You're better   
than this." Katie pulled up and chair then pushed the sack over to him,   
"Eat."  
Darien leaned back, sighed and took off his glasses.   
"How about I treat you to lunch tomorrow?"   
"I can't."   
"You always say that, why?"  
Darien turned away as he saw her trying to search his eyes for an   
answer.  
"You have to tell someone."  
Darien rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Katie, thanks for coming by   
but-"  
"Tell me."  
Taking a good look at her Darien gave in, "I lost someone..." his   
throat caught, "someone very, very dear to me."  
"I'm sorry."   
"Yeah..."  
"But listen to me. You're not going to forget about her this way.   
You'll probably never forget about her."  
"I don't plan to but it hurts to think about her, to think about what   
I lost." Darien looked strait at Katie, "She'll always be in my heart,   
Katie. I know you like me..." However, by the look Katie was giving him   
he knew that she loved him. She had no reason not too. She had been there   
from the beginning. "Or maybe you even love me...but Katie...I love her, I   
love her too much to love another even if the other girl is just as   
wonderful."  
Katie took an intake of breath and nodded, "Thanks...I think I needed   
to hear that." She tried to smile but it failed, "Um, I have to go." She   
stood up.   
Darien smiled sadly, "I'm sorry..."  
"It's okay. I'm glad you told me." She opened the door, "Good luck with   
your life, Darien. That girl that you lost, she is really, really lucky   
to have known you."   
"I'll call you." The door shut silently behind her.  
Darien sighed angrily at his desk before banging his fist against the   
hard top, killing his hand. However, the pain felt better than anything   
he'd felt all year!  
  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
Twenty-One Years from the beginning -  
  
"You what?" Darien fell onto the couch.  
"I'm getting married, Uncle Dar! Can you believe it?! His name is Dave   
Lark!" Rena babbled on but Darien wasn't listening. Married? He suddenly   
felt really sick.   
Darien hung up but not before Serena gave him the day that she was   
coming down to introduce him to her new fiancé.   
  
A week later Darien had better control over himself. He stared blankly   
at the wall for at least two hours before going on a rampage through the   
house. Tearing everything down including the curtains.   
On the day of they're arrival Darien had the house in order.  
"Uncle Dar!" Rena ran up to him and gave him a big hug. She quickly   
jumped down and dragged Mr. Lark up to him, "This is Dave." She smiled   
happily.  
Darien smiled, "It's nice to meet you!" he shook Mr. Larks hand,   
squeezing it just a 'little bit' tighter than usual.  
  
  
Two months later Darien stood ready to take Rena down the aisle.   
Rena was the perfect picture! Her white thick dress hugged her waist   
perfectly and her vial covered her face. However, Darien could feel   
Serena shifting foot to foot nervously.  
Darien almost wished she would back out but she didn't.   
The wedding was quite uneventful for Darien. He just watched her from   
a distance, never even taking the opportunity to dance with her at   
the reception.   
Once home, Darien collapsed on the couch and cried himself to sleep!   
His heart couldn't take this!  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
Years went by until Darien was too old to walk on his own. He held a   
cane as he hobbled down the sidewalk to the hospital. His hair was   
gray and falling out (from stress).   
Darien was convinced that his doctor only made him come there once a   
week to convince him he was dieing. Darien almost wished it was true.   
It would be bliss to leave this life and not have to bare this lonely   
life. The only thing keeping him sane was knowing that Rena was still   
alive. She had her second chance at life and she was living it.   
Mr. Lark and Rena were still married although they never had kids.   
Darien didn't know why and never asked.  
After the quick but painful trip to the doctors, Darien went back his   
old apartment. However, he stopped in the hallway when he saw Rena   
standing, waiting at the door, with a handful of wild flowers. She   
was a lovely sight.  
"Rena, what are you doing her, girl?"   
She smiled, "Just thought I'd visit. How're you doing?"  
"Oh, fine. The doctor says I'll live a few more days." He joked but   
she didn't think it was funny.  
"Don't talk like that."   
Darien sighed and unlocked his apartment door than hit it open with   
his cane, "Let's talk."  
Rena sat down on the couch inside and dropped the flowers into a vase   
on the coffee table, "Uncle Dar, I need to ask you something."  
Darien sat down in his big armchair, "Go ahead."  
"Have you ever seen a sunset so beautiful that you couldn't breathe?"   
she asked.   
Darien sucked in his breath, "Yes..." he let it out,   
"...yes I have."  
"Really, I mean, like with your own eyes?" Rena's eyes went   
wide.  
"Only once."  
Rena sighed, "I've only seen them in my dreams. It was beautiful!   
I always wake up, thinking that's so real. But that's impossible!"  
"How is it impossible?" Darien smiled.  
Rena giggled, "Because in my dreams there's this really tall guy   
with me and Dave couldn't be that tall if he wanted to."   
Darien felt his heart speed up and he had trouble breathing.  
"Uncle Dar, are you all right?!" Rena ran up to him to steady him.  
"I'm fine...I'm fine..." Darien focused on the arm to the couch. She   
remembers that in a dream?! Darien felt as if a small bolder had lifted   
off his shoulders. Thank you... He whispered silently. That's all he   
needed to hear.   
  
  
An hour later Darien was in bed. Rena left, making sure to tuck her   
Uncle in before she left.  
Darien fought to keep his eyes open but he felt so tired and his heart   
seemed to slow down...relaxing him.  
Darien drifted into sleep...  
  
A setting sun greeted Darien in his dreams. He could almost feel the   
soft wind and smell the sweet grass surrounding them. He'd had this dream   
before but this time something was different...he couldn't put his figure   
on it but something was definitely different.  
The young blonde looked up at the tall man holding her, "Do you think   
this will ever change, Darien?"  
Darien leaned his forehead against hers, "What will ever change."  
"Us...being together."  
"Never, Serena, not in a million years." He kissed her lightly on   
the   
  
"I love you, Meatball head!" Darien leaned down and kissed her   
softly on the lips.   
"I love you more!" Serena sighed after the kiss.  
  
The dreams faded into a flash of light. Darien stood, still old and   
gray, in a big room. His cane made clicking sounds as he turned   
wondering where he was.   
"Darien."   
Darien whirled around, "Who's there?"  
"Timesake." The woman replied. She appeared just to the side of him,   
making him jump.  
"What are you doing here?"  
She smiled then stared at him sympathicly, "I'm sorry that you've gone   
through so much. You shouldn't have."  
"Well, don't be sorry, she deserved it."  
"Yes, but you didn't."  
Darien felt his heart twist in pain, "Where are we?"  
"In your dream." Timesake came closers, "You have a choice, Darien."  
Darien groaned, "Not another one, my heart can't take it!"  
"I know but this one...I think will be much easier."   
"What?"  
Timesake smiled brightly, "You can die and live on in Rena's memory or...  
you can start all over again."  
Darien's head whirled, "Excuse me? Who said I was going to die?"  
"You are, Darien, tonight. It's your choice."  
"All over again." He croaked.  
"Well, not really. You'll go back to the time before the fight, 'the'   
fight."  
"No..." Darien couldn't believe it. Could it be true? He looked up and   
Timesake smiling at him, "I'll go! Of course!"  
Timesake wanted to give the poor guy a hug but stepped back instead,   
"You do know that you will not remember any of this. All these years will   
erase from your memory. Serena won't remember a thing either."  
"No Mr. Lark?"  
Timesake shook her head.  
"Wait, how will I know to save Serena?"  
"You will, you just will." Timesake raised her arm and a door opened. A   
bright light blinded you from the inside, "Enter."  
Darien felt his heart race. He was going back to Serena, his Serena; he   
was going 'home'!  
He walked through the door.  
  
  
* % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * % * %  
  
  
"Jupiter, would you hold that things still?" Mars growled. Jupiter   
glared at her from behind the youmma. It was big, blue and smelly,   
just like their usual opponents. Tuxedo Mask watched from a tree,   
wanting to get down but knowing it wasn't his time.  
Mercury stood scanning the youmma, trying to figure out where to   
hit it and with what.   
"I can't hold him much longer!"   
The youmma squirmed in Jupiter's grasped, kicking and twisting, making   
Jupiter's arms hurt like crazy!  
"I'm here!" Sailor Moon raced up to Sailor Mercury, "What's up? Ewww,   
what's that thing?!" She plugged her nose as soon as she saw Jupiter   
and the youmma.  
"Shut up, Sailor Moon and...do something!"  
"Just a minute!" Mercury shouted, getting frustrated, "My computers not   
picking up any weaknesses!"  
"Oh, this is great!" Mars sighed.  
Just then, Venus crashed into Sailor Moon from behind making Sailor Moon   
fall forward and land on Mercury who knocked down Mars. Tuxedo Mask cringed   
from the tree. That has to hurt.  
Jupiter was too busy concentrating on the youmma to notice her   
friend's dilemma. However, if she had noticed she probably would have   
fought harder to keep the youmma in her grasp but alas, the youmma got   
away, charging right for the scouts!  
Sailor Moon was the first to notice. She screamed out, "Move, move,   
move, everybody up!" she tried to push Venus off her legs but they were   
so tangled up it was nearly impossible.   
"Hey! What-ahhhhh!" Venus started to scream as she saw the six-foot   
youmma coming toward them. Jupiter ran after the youmma, trying to get   
to the thing before it got to her friends.  
Tuxedo Mask waited for his time. He flicked out a rose and started   
counting to ten.  
"We're going to die!" Mars yelled in panic!  
Finely Mercury managed to pull out of the mess of girls. She quickly   
yelled out, "Mercury Bubbles Blast!" a cloud of fog surrounded the girls   
along with the youmma, blocking off their view.   
Tuxedo Mask's face clouded up with worry, he couldn't see the   
scouts!  
In the fog Mars pushed away from Sailor Moon, "My gosh you are such an   
airhead!"  
Sailor Moon pulled away from the blockhead who fell on her, "Venus,   
get up!"  
Venus looked up from underneath her arms, "Huh, is it over?"  
Mars rolled her eyes, "You're as bad as-aah!" Mars went forward on her   
stomach and a youmma appeared above her scaring the wits out of Moon   
and Venus.   
"Get away, get away!" Sailor Moon began to run but remembering that   
Mars is still being squashed from the youmma. So instead, she ran   
back.   
"Moon-ak!"   
The youmma lunged at her, knocking her to the ground, totally forgetting   
about Mars. Sailor Moon struggled to keep the youmma's teeth away from   
her face but she could do nothing about the sharp claws that found their   
way to her arms.  
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon yelled, "Somebody!"  
  
Tuxedo Mask waited in the tree, waiting for the fog to clear. He still   
couldn't see a thing! He was starting to get worried though, what was   
going on in there? Is Sailor Moon all right?  
  
The youmma's claws went up, ready to come down on Sailor Moon's   
throat.   
  
Tuxedo Mask jumped down from the tree, feeling unsettled. Should he   
go in? Logically he should wait for the fog to clear. However,   
something nagged at the back of his head.   
  
Sailor Moon reached up and grabbed his wrist before the youma   
could come near her throat.  
  
Meanwhile, the scouts wadded the fog, trying to find their   
leader.   
"Where is that Meatball head?"  
"I don't know but we're missing Venus too."  
  
Tuxedo Mask fiddled with the rose in his hand, "Something's   
wrong."  
  
Sailor Moon tipped her head to one side, moving away from the awful   
smell of his breath, "You need a mint!"   
One of the youmma's claws lightly scrapped her face as it came closer.  
I can't hold on much longer! Sailor Moon felt alone in this fog, it was   
only her self and the youmma. She would have to depend on herself, but   
could she? Where was Tuxedo Mask? Was she going to die? No, I have to   
beat this thing! Sailor Moon looked back up at the youmma, its beady   
eyes glared into hers like daggers. He knew he was going to win.   
  
Tuxedo Mask felt a chill go down his spine but quickly shrugged it   
off. What's taking this fog so long?   
Tuxedo Mask stood just where the fog ended. If he went in now, how   
would he find Sailor Moon? He might end up getting himself lost.   
However, waiting was driving him crazy, did he have any other   
choice?   
Tuxedo Masked sighed and looked to his right, he gasped.   
A Woman stood off in the distance looking at him sadly, "You've already   
waited too long..."  
"Nooooo!" Darien all of a sudden 'knew' what she was talking about.   
Without another thought or another look he darted into the fog, letting   
his heart lead the way. He had to find her before the youmma did!   
  
Sailor Moon started to cry as the claws started to cut into her throat.   
Scouts! Please, someone help! Tuxedo Mask!   
The youmma jerked his claws away from Sailor Moon's neck, pulling   
violently from her hands then he quickly aimed for her chest, ready   
to finish her off. Sailor Moon's eyes widened and her mouth formed a   
protest but nothing came out. She was going to die. Sailor Moon quickly   
shut her eyes, not ready to see her own death. I love you Darien!  
Then just as she thought she was going to die, the pressure was gone. She   
felt like she just died and gone to heaven but she was in too much pain   
to believe that. She slowly opened her eyes to see only fog.  
  
Tuxedo Mask tumbled with the youmma down a hill with his hands circled   
around its neck. The youmma growled in frustration, trying to get some   
revenge on Tuxedo Mask for destroying his moment.  
  
"Hey, guys, what's that?" Jupiter squinted to get a better look at the   
forms rolling down the hill.  
Mars took a step forward and noticed the black and red of Tuxedo Masks   
cape, "It's Tuxedo Mask! He's got the youmma!"  
The three girls quickly ran after them.  
  
Crash, bang, boom the youmma was dead, Tuxedo Mask was safe and Serena   
was alive, safe in Darien's arms.  
Serena tightly held onto Darien as the girls ran up to the couple.  
"Serena where have you-" she stopped dead, "What happened?"  
"Nothing...!" Serena breathed, "Absolutely nothing."  
"But-"  
"Not right now, Ray." Darien pleaded, "I just want to get her home and   
fix her up."  
Ray's mouth stood open but she quickly shut it, "Fine."  
"Hey, where's Mina?" Jupiter looked around, "We haven't see her since the   
fall."  
Serena looked around then started to giggle.  
Darien thought it was the most wonderful sound he could ever hear after a   
narrow escape like that. He had almost lost her and now she was in his   
arms laughing.   
"What?" Ray snapped irritated.  
"Mina's over there." She pointed behind Darien's back. They all turned   
to see Mina laying on the ground unconscious in front of a big tree.  
They quickly ran up to her. She had a big bump on her forehead and she   
was snoring rather loudly.  
"Well, that's Mina for ya!" Jupiter laughed.  
Darien smiled. It felt so good to be with Serena and her friends. He   
couldn't figure it out but for some reason he felt like he hadn't seen   
either for ages!  
"Darien, what are you thinking about?" Serena was still a little   
shaken.  
"You."  
"Oh, that's good." She sighed and leaned her head on his chest,   
tired.   
Darien chuckled, "Let's get you home."  
"What about her?" Ray asked.  
"You guys can take care her, right?" Darien asked raising an   
eyebrow.  
"Yeah, I guess." Ray gave in stubbornly.  
"Good." Darien turned Serena toward her house and they walked away   
into the sunrise.  
  
* % * % * % * % * % *  
  
"Serena, I'll never forget you not matter where you go."  
"I know." Serena hugged Darien tighter. 'And I'll never forget   
you...!'  
  
  
(The End...)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Done, I can't believe it! I've been working on this for so long! It   
seems like everything has been going against me! I kept being kicked   
off the computer, even now Dad wants be in the kitchen doing dishes!   
Well, it looks like you've completed the dare! I'm really happy for   
you although you're probably wanting send me some flames but who cares!   
Have fun writing them!   
But really, what did think?  
Email!!!  
Thanks for read'in! 


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